Your gift counts double until 5/31: $17,284 to go in our Easter Campaign. Please help now!

Condemn Lenin, Stalin repression: Russian Orthodox official

CWN - July 29, 2011

A leading Russian Orthodox Church official said recently that “our society, state and people” must condemn the crimes that took place during the Communist regimes of Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin.

“Many are trying to tell us that that period should be forgotten together with the great number of victims,” said Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, head of the Synodal Department for Church and Society Relations.

Russians “must do their best so that no one and nothing is forgotten,” said Chaplin as he recalled the actions of “the criminals--Stalin, Lenin, [Leon] Trotsky, [Moisei] Uritsky, [Yakov] Sverdlov--who organized the Red Terror and Stalin repressions.”

Additional sources for this story
Some links will take you to other sites, in a new window.

An appeal from our founder, Dr. Jeffrey Mirus:

Dear reader: If you found the information on this page helpful in your pursuit of a better Catholic life, please support our work with a donation. Your donation will help us reach five million Truth-seeking readers worldwide this year. Thank you!

Easter Campaign:
Progress toward our Spring 2013 goal ($17,284 to go):
$80,000.00 $62,716.45
22% 78%
Sound Off! CatholicCulture.org supporters weigh in.

All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!

Show 1 Comments? (Hidden)Hide Comments
  • Posted by: normnuke - Jul. 29, 2011 10:21 AM ET USA

    It is very refreshing to read of well-placed people in the former Soviet Union having these thoughts. I sometimes get the impression that many present-day Russians think, if at all, of these men only as the losers of the Cold War. Chaplin's list of horrible men has a surprising omission, though: Lavrenti Beria. The Wickipedia article on him should be required reading for liberal American college students.

Catholic World News Email Newsletter
Donate to Support this Site: Your contribution will be put to good work.
Tour the CatholicCulture.org Site
Shop Amazon to Raise Money for Catholic Culture

Recent Catholic Commentary

Revealing News, and Revealing Christ 19 hours ago
The Russell Ford problem 19 hours ago
Fr. Thadeus Nguyen Van Ly: Your Letter May Help May 24
The Rise and Fall of the (American?) Church May 23
The Ideal of Pope Francis: the Servant Church May 23

Top Catholic News

Most Important Stories of the Last 30 Days
Pope strongly supports call for reform in religious life CWN - May 8